Device and method for repeatedly forming a preselected arrangement of conveyed articles

Abstract

Device and method are disclosed for repeatedly forming a predetermined arrangement of conveyed articles. Cylindrical articles, such as cans, are accumulated on a conveying unit at an accumulating area, the articles at the accumulating area being normally in a pattern, such as being in nested relationship. A stop unit is provided to repeatedly allow preselected numbers of articles to pass from the accumulating area on the conveying unit into a sweep area having a sweep unit including sweep arms each of which is utilized to alternately lead and push articles by group through the sweep area to a receiving area, such as a palletizer. The conveying, stop and sweep units are controlled to cause coordinated movement therebetween, the conveying and sweep units being operated at various speeds as each group of articles passes the stop unit. When a particular stagger arrangement, such as a Number One Stagger arrangement, is needed at the receiving area, a repositioning unit is provided adjacent to the stop unit, the repositioning unit removing articles from a first group of passed articles and then inserting the removed articles into a later group of passed articles.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A device for repeatedly forming a predetermined arrangement of articles, said device comprising: accumulating means at an accumulating area for receiving articles to be formed into said predetermined arrangement, said accumulating area having a discharge end for discharging articles therefrom in a predetermined direction;   stop means movable between a stop position and a pass position, said stop means when in said stop position being engagable with articles at said discharge end of said accumulating area for preventing said articles from passing by said stop means in said predetermined direction, and said stop means when in said pass position allowing articles from said accumulating area to pass by said stop means in said predetermined direction;   sweep means including first and second sweep arms operable within at least a sweep area for engaging articles passed by said stop means;   conveyor means at least said sweep area for engaging articles and urging said engaged articles in said predetermined direction through said sweep area;   receiving means for receiving articles from said sweep area; and   control means controlling operation of said stop means between said stop and pass positions to enable preselected numbers of articles to be passed by said stop means each time said stop means is in said pass position, and said control means also controlling said sweep means and said conveyor means with both said sweep means and said conveyor means being caused to be operated at varying speeds, including at least two speeds other than zero speed, so that articles are conveyed to said receiving means from said sweep means in said predetermined arrangement.   
     
     
       2. The device of claim 1 wherein each of said sweep arms is alternately utilized to lead and push said articles through said sweep area to said receiving means. 
     
     
       3. The device of claim 1 wherein said control means causes said sweep means to be reversed in direction in conveying said articles through said sweep area. 
     
     
       4. The device of claim 1 wherein said conveying means is operated at three different speeds and said sweep arms of said sweep means are operated at two different speeds in conveying said articles through said sweep area. 
     
     
       5. The device of claim 1 wherein said receiving means includes palletizing means, and wherein said sweep means conveys articles by tiers to said palletizing means. 
     
     
       6. A device for repeatedly forming a predetermined arrangement of articles, said device comprising: accumulating means at an accumulating area for receiving articles to be formed into said predetermined arrangement, said accumulating area having a discharge end for discharging articles therefrom in a predetermined direction;   stop means movable between a stop position and a pass position, said stop means when in said stop position being engagable with articles at said discharge end of said accumulating area for preventing said articles from passing by said stop means in said predetermined direction, and said stop means when in said pass position allowing articles from said accumulating area to pass by said stop means in said predetermined direction;   sweep means including first and second sweep arms operable within at least a sweep area for engaging articles passed by said stop means, said sweep arms being operated at different speeds and reversed in direction in conveying said articles passed by said stop means through said sweep area;   conveyor means at least said sweep area for engaging articles and urging said engaged articles in said predetermined direction through said sweep area;   receiving means for receiving articles from said sweep area; and   control means controlling operation of said stop means between said stop and pass positions to enable preselected numbers of articles to be passed by said stop means each time said stop means is in said pass position, and said control means also controlling said sweep means and said conveyor means with both said sweep means and said conveyor means being caused to be operated at varying speeds so that articles are conveyed to said receiving means from said sweep means in said predetermined arrangement.   
     
     
       7. A device for repeatedly forming a predetermined arrangement of conveyed cylindrical articles, said device comprising; accumulating means at an article accumulating area for receiving cylindrical articles to be formed into said predetermined arrangement, said accumulating area having a discharge end for discharging articles from said accumulating area in a predetermined direction;   stop means movable between a stop position and a pass position, said stop means when in said stop position being engagable with articles at said discharge end of said accumulating area for preventing said articles from passing by said stop means in said predetermined direction, and said stop means when in said pass position allowing articles from said accumulating area to pass by said stop means in said predetermined direction;   repositioning means operable in conjunction with said stop means for removing preselected ones of said articles passed by said stop means and later inserting said removed preselected ones of said articles whereby said articles pass said stop means and said repositioning means by groups;   sweep means including first and second sweep arms operable at least within a sweep area for causing articles passed by said stop means and said repositioning means to be conveyed through said swep area and discharged therefrom;   receiving means at a receiving area for receiving articles discharged from said sweep area; and   control means controlling operation of said stop means and said repositioning means whereby said stop means passes a preselected number of articles each time that said sweep means is in said pass positon, and for controlling said sweep arms of said sweep means so that said sweep arms are moved at different speeds in conjunctin with control of said stop means and said repositioning means in conveying said articles through said sweep area and into said receiving area to thereby repeatedly convey said articles by groups to said receiving means.   
     
     
       8. The device of claim 7 wherein said accumulating means receives said articles in a nested arrangement, wherein said receiving means includes palletizing means, and wherein said sweep means conveys said articles to said palletizing means in said nested arrangement. 
     
     
       9. The device of claim 7 wherein said repositioning means includes article displacement means for moving said articles along a rotational path so that said preselected ones of said articles are removed in a predetermined direction and for moving said removed articles along said rotational path in the opposite direction to later insert said removed articles. 
     
     
       10. The device of claim 7 wherein each of said first and second sweep arms of said sweep means alternately leads and pushes articles conveyed through said sweep area. 
     
     
       11. The device of claim 7 wherein said device includes conveyor means for conveying articles through said accumulating area and said sweep area, and wherein said control means causes said articles conveyed by said conveyor means to be conveyed at different speeds in conjunction with operation of said sweep at different speeds. 
     
     
       12. A device for palletizing cylindrical articles, said device comprising: accumulating means at an accumulating area for receiving articles to be formed into tiers for palletizing, said accumulating area having a discharge end for conveying articles therefrom in a predetermined direction;   stop means movable between a stop position and a pass position, said stop means when in said stop position being engagable with articles at said discharge end of said accumulating area for preventing said articles from passing by said stop means in said predetermined direction, and said stop means when in said pass position allowing articles from said accumulating area to pass by said stop means in said predetermined direction;   article repositioning means operable in conjunction with said stop means for engaging preselected articles that pass said stop means and removing said preselected articles, said article repositioning means later inserting said removed preselected articles when said stop means is in said stop position whereby articles pass said stop means and said repositioning means by groups;   sweep means including at least first and second sweep arms operable within a sweep area for engaging articles passed by said stop means and said article repositioning means;   conveying means for conveying articles discharged from said discharge end of said accumulating means through at least said sweep area whereby said conveying means and said sweep means cause said groups of articles to be conveyed by tiers through said sweep area and discharged therefrom;   palletizing means for receiving said tiers of articles discharged from said sweep area; and   control means for controlling operation of said stop means and said articles repositioning means whereby a sufficient number of articles to form a first tier plus said preselected articles to be removed are passed by said stop means while in a first pass position, a sufficient number of articles to form a second tier are passed by said stop means while in a second pass position, and a sufficient number of articles to form a third tier minus said preselected number of articles to be inserted are passed by said stop means while in a third pass position, said control means also causing said conveying means and said sweep means to be operated at different speeds during movement of said articles through said sweep means and onto said palletizing means in conjunction with control of said stop means and said article repositioning means to thereby cause said preselected articles to be removed while said stop means is in said first pass position and to be inserted while said stop means is in said third pass position whereby said sweep means conveys articles by like tiers to said palletizing means.   
     
     
       13. The device of claim 12 wherein said articles conveyed by said conveying means to said sweep means are in nested arrangement, wherein said article repositioning means is side shifted before inserting articles in said third tier, and wherein said sweep means causes tiers of articles in nested arrangement to be provided to said palletizing means. 
     
     
       14. The device of claim 12 wherein said device includes pivotable mounting means for mounting said article repositioning means thereon whereby said articles are removed and inserted at least in part by displacing said articles along a rotational path. 
     
     
       15. The device of claim 12 wherein each of said sweep arms alternately leads and pushes said tiers of articles through said sweep area. 
     
     
       16. The device of claim 12 wherein said controlling means causes said conveying means to be moved at three different speeds during movement of each tier of article s through said sweep area, and wherein said controlling means causes said sweep arms to be moved at two different speeds during movement of each tier of articles through said sweep area. 
     
     
       17. The device of claim 16 wherein said conveying means is moved at a first speed, a second speed that is substantially double that of said first speed, and third speed that is between said first and said second speeds, and wherein said sweep arms are moved at a first speed slower than that of said first speed of said conveying means and at a second speed that is greater than that of said first speed of said conveying means. 
     
     
       18. The device of claim 12 wherein said sweep means is reversed in direction and moved to a home position each time after a sweep arm has pushed a tier of articles onto said palletizing means. 
     
     
       19. The device of claim 12 wherein at least one of said sweep means and said stop means is additionally moved in said predetermined direction of article movement by a small increment to facilitate positioning of articles for movement through said device. 
     
     
       20. The device of claim 12 wherein said tiers of articles conveyed through said sweep area are in longitudinally extending rows, and wherein each of said sweep arms includes a displacement block for engaging one of said articles in one of said rows of each said tier to move said engaged articles and the row in which said article is positioned rearwardly one article diameter with respect to articles in adjacent rows. 
     
     
       21. A method for repeatedly forming a predetermined arrangement of articles, said method comprising: providing articles at an accumulating area;   repeatedly allowing a preselected number of said articles to move from said accumulating area to a sweep area; and   providing sweep means having first and second sweep arms and conveying means at said sweep area to engage articles and convey said articles to a receiving area, and causing both said sweep means and said conveying means to be operated at varying speeds, including at least two speeds other than zero speed, for repeatedly forming said articles into said predetermined arrangement.   
     
     
       22. The method of claim 21 wherein said method includes providing articles to said accumulating area in a nested arrangement, and wherein said sweep means and said conveying means convey said articles through said sweep area and discharge said articles in said nested arrangement to a receiving area. 
     
     
       23. The method of claim 21 wherein said sweep means is reversed in direction in conveying said articles through said sweep area. 
     
     
       24. The method of claim 21 wherein said articles are moved at three different speeds by said conveying means in conjunction with movement of said sweep means at two different speeds. 
     
     
       25. The method of claim 24 wherein said articles are initially moved by said conveying means at a predetermined fast speed, wherein said articles are later moved by said conveying means at a speed of about one-half that of said predetermined fast speed, and wherein said articles are later moved by said conveying means at a speed of about three-fourths that of said predetermined fast speed, and wherein said sweep means is moved at an initial speed less than that of said predetermined fast speed of said conveying means and then is later moved at a speed greater than that of said predetermined fast speed of said conveying means. 
     
     
       26. A method for repeatedly forming a predetermined arrangement of articles, said method comprising: providing articles at an accumulating area;   repeatedly allowing a preselected number of said articles to move from said accumulating area to a sweep area; and   providing sweep means and conveying means at said sweep area to engage articles and convey said articles to a receiving area, at least one of said sweep means and said conveying means being operated at varying speeds for repeatedly forming said articles into said predetermined arrangement, and said sweep means being reversed and moved to a home position when said articles have been conveyed to said receiving area.   
     
     
       27. A method for palletizing cylindrical articles, said method comprising: providing articles at an accumulating area;   repeatedly allowing groups of articles to be discharged in a downstream direction from said accumulating area;   removing predetermined ones of said articles discharged from said accumulating area and then later inserting said removed articles whereby like groups of articles are provided downstream of said accumulating area; and   providing conveying means and sweep means that includes first and second sweep arms at said sweep area to engage each said like group of articles received from said accumulating area and, in conjunction with removal and insertion of articles, forming each said like group of articles into a tier that is cooperatively moved by said conveying means and said sweep arms of said sweep means to a palletizing area.   
     
     
       28. The method of claim 27 wherein a sufficient number of articles to form a first tier plus articles to be removed are first conveyed from said accumulating area, a sufficient number of articles to form a second tier are next conveyed from the accumulating area, and a sufficient number of articles to form a third tier less the articles to be inserted are last conveyed from said accumulating area with said articles to be removed being removed prior to said first tier reaching said sweep area and said articles to be inserted to form said third tier being inserted prior to said articles of said third tier reaching said sweep area whereby like tiers are conveyed to said palletizing area. 
     
     
       29. A method for palletizing cylindrical articles, said method comprising: providing articles at an accumulating area;   repeatedly allowing groups of articles to be discharged from said accumulating area;   removing predetermined ones of said articles discharged from said accumulating area and then later inserting said removed articles; and   providing conveying means and sweep means at said sweep area to engage each said group of articles received from said accumulating area and, in conjunction with removal and insertion of articles, forming each said group of articles into a tier that is cooperatively moved by said conveying means and said sweep means to a palletizing area, said conveying means being moved at a predetermined fast speed during initial movement of articles toward said sweep area and said sweep means being moved from a home position at a predetermined slow speed less than that of said fast speed of said conveying means, said conveying means being slowed to a speed equal to about one-half that of said fast speed after said articles have been removed and said sweep means being moved at a speed about twice that of the slow speed of said sweep means and greater than said fast speed of said conveying means, said sweep means being reversed in direction after said articles have been moved by said sweep means to said palletizing area to move said sweep means to said home position, said conveying means being thereafter moved to a speed between that of said first and second speeds to convey articles toward said home position of said sweep means, and said conveying means being then returned to said fast speed.